Alliance criticises proposed child benefit reforms

The Mangan Report, which will be brought to Cabinet for discussion tomorrow, recommends the Government introduce a tax on child benefit or implement a two-tier system.

Yesterday the Social Protection Minister Joan Burton indicated her preferred option would be to tax the allowance, in a bid to slash €345m per year of the social welfare bill.

Jillian Van Turnhout, former CEO of the Children's Right's Alliance, however said people are still coming to terms with cuts in December's Budget.

"Remember that the budget cuts of last year are just hitting families now," she said.

"Can you imagine, as a family who are making tough decisions about heat, about childcare, about whether they have food on the table… and now we are talking about more cuts to child benefit and no creative solution."

Meanwhile a new 'report card' issued by the Alliance has given the government an 'F' grade in child poverty.

The report gave the Government an overall 'C' grade for protecting children - down from a 'C+' last year.

Tanya Ward from the Alliance says the worst performing areas were child poverty and health, because of the delay in the Children's Hospital and primary health care centres.

The report says the constitutional rights of children have improved, after the Children's Referendum was passed last November.

But, Ms Ward said that overall, more children have been plunged into poverty in the past year.

"The Government gets an 'F' grade in child poverty and that's an absolute fail," she said.

"Because of the high levels of child poverty that we have in Ireland, about 20% of children are at risk of child poverty and 9% are living in relative poverty.

"And this year the Government went ahead and implemented a Budget that directly targeted children and families."